The Best Women’s Dive Watches – 37mm and Under
Dive watches have been around for decades, once born of necessity for underwater adventures and now more of a practical wardrobe staple for many. Reaching for a dive watch while getting ready in the morning makes sense. You don’t have to worry about getting them wet as you go about your day, and they have that ultra-cool tool watch aesthetic made famous by the likes of James Bond and Steve McQueen that never seems to go out of style. The enduring popularity of dive watches has extended to another thriving market: women’s dive watches. While we commend Charlize Theron for pulling off the Rolex Deepsea and think it looks outstanding on her, we think most women will find the 37mm-and-under category to be a better fit. Join us as we dive into some of the best ladies’ dive watches out there right now in the mid-size range.
What is a Dive Watch?
Dive watches typically conform to the ISO 6425 standard, meaning they have at least 100 meters of water resistance and specific features crucial to safer underwater timekeeping, such as a unidirectional timing bezel and luminescent material that is visible in complete darkness. It’s important to note that not every dive watch is ISO certified. However, most follow the same design blueprint and have that unmistakable, ready-for-anything dive watch look.
Tag Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 36mm
The Aquaracer is Tag Heuer’s dedicated line of dive watches, based on a traditionally styled diver initially developed by Jack Heuer in the late 1970s as an affordable alternative to the Rolex Submariner. The collection has evolved somewhat since it was conceptualized, adopting the Aquaracer moniker in the mid-2000s and a few of its own distinctively Tag Heuer design elements along the way. Still, it remains a solid alternative for those seeking the classic styling of a Swiss-made luxury dive watch for an affordable price. Although it is also available in 42mm, the 36mm Aquaracer is a strong contender for the best women’s dive watch.
The 36mm Aquaracer Professional 300 lineup has some noticeably glitzier options than its 42mm counterpart, including either blue, green, turquoise, or pink wave dials. All of these colorful wave dials are adorned with diamond hour markers. For the purists, there are also white and black dial options with luminescent octagonal hour markers instead of diamonds.
Each option features the Aquaracer’s emblematic 12-sided bezel with a ceramic insert, 300 meters of water resistance, and the Caliber 5–a competent ETA/Sellita-based automatic movement with a 38-hour power reserve.
Aquaracer Professional 300 36mm Specs:
| Model: | Aquaracer Professional 300 36mm |
| References: | WBP231C.BA0626 (white dial) WBP231D.BA0626 (black dial) WBP231B.BA0618 (blue dial w/ diamonds) WBP231K.BA0618 (turquoise dial w/ diamonds) WBP231J.BA0618 (pink dial w/ diamonds) WBP231G.FT6226 (green dial w/ diamonds) |
| Case Material: | Stainless Steel |
| Case Diameter: | 36mm |
| Case Thickness: | 11.4mm |
| Water Resistance: | 300m |
| Bezel: | Unidirectional, 60 minutes |
| Bezel Material: | Ceramic |
| Movement: | Caliber 5 (Automatic, ETA 2824-2 or Sellita SW300 base, 8 beats per second) |
| Functions: | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Power Reserve: | 38 hours |
| Braceler/Strap: | Stainless steel or rubber (green dial only) |
| 2024 Market Price: | $3,300 (steel bracelet/no diamonds) $3,600 (rubber strap/diamond dial) $3,800 (steel bracelet/diamond dial) |
Mid-Size Tudor Submariner Ref. 75090
I am admittedly partial to the next watch on our list because I own one, and I think it is the perfect size and weight for my 5.75” wrists. That watch is the Tudor Submariner with a mid-size 35mm case, which I reviewed in detail here if you want to read more. Tudor produced this model for a few years during the 1990s. As a vintage watch, it delivers the recognize-it-across-the-room Submariner aesthetic first established by parent company Rolex but in a smaller, more approachable package for some women.
For comparison, the modern Rolex Submariner was 40mm for many decades and was recently upgraded to 41mm. It’s also worth mentioning that the broader Tudor Submariner collection is home to smaller case options, including the 33mm Mini-Sub and an even smaller 28mm Lady-Sub if 35mm is too large for your wrist.
Focusing on the ref. 75090, it sports all the classic dive watch design elements we would expect from a watch carrying the moniker “Submariner,” including a waterproof case, a 60-minute bezel, and a legible luminescent display on the dial (including the famous Rolex-style Mercedes hands). It also features a bidirectional bezel with an aluminum insert and a dial decorated with painted hour markers for those who appreciate the charm of a vintage dive watch. If you would prefer a unidirectional bezel, you can opt for the slightly newer 75190 reference.
Mid-Size Tudor Submariner Specs:
| Model: | Submariner |
| Reference: | 75090 |
| Case Material: | 316L Stainless Steel |
| Case Diameter: | 35mm |
| Case Thickness: | 10mm |
| Water Resistance: | 200m |
| Bezel: | Bidirectional/60 minutes |
| Bezel Material: | Aluminum |
| Movement: | ETA 2824-2 (automatic) |
| Functions: | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Power Reserve: | 38 hours |
| Braceler/Strap: | Stainless steel |
| 2024 Market Price: | Approx. $4,450 |
More on Tudor:
Tudor Black Bay 54
That brings us to the next watch on our list and one of the most recent additions to the Tudor lineup, the Black Bay 54. It has a vintage appeal similar to the Tudor Submariner (it was modeled after the inaugural ref. 7922 from 1954) but with an in-house movement and a substantial 70-hour power reserve. It’s a particularly exciting model because it demonstrates how the Black Bay collection has been embracing smaller case sizes lately, going from 41mm to 39mm and now 37mm. This shift earns the Black Bay 54 a prime spot on our list of the best women’s luxury dive watches. The best part? It is available in two different expressions: all-steel or with a rubber strap.
In true Black Bay fashion, there are plenty of vintage-inspired design elements to get excited about. The unidirectional bezel is furnished with an aluminum insert with markings similar to those on the ref. 7922, complemented nicely by the gilt dial text. The excellent T-Fit clasp is standard on the Black Bay 54, whether you choose the three-link steel bracelet or the rubber strap. The watch sports a domed sapphire crystal and boasts water resistance up to 200 meters. The Tudor Black Bay 54 is the perfect daily driver for many lady watch enthusiasts with a host of modern and vintage-inspired design elements and an approachable case size.
Tudor Black Bay 54 Specs
| Model: | Tudor Black Bay 54 |
| References: | M79000N-0001 (stainless steel bracelet) M79000N-0002 (rubber strap) |
| Case Material: | Stainless steel |
| Case Diameter: | 37mm |
| Case Thickness: | 11.2mm |
| Water Resistance: | 200m |
| Bezel: | Uni-directional/60 minutes |
| Bezel Material: | Aluminum |
| Movement: | Caliber MT5400 (automatic) |
| Functions: | Hours, minutes, seconds |
| Power Reserve: | 70 hours |
| Braceler/Strap: | Stainless steel or rubber |
| 2024 Market Price: | $3,700 (rubber strap) $3,900 (stainless bracelet) |
Women’s Dive Watch from Breitling: Superocean 36
Breitling recently revamped the non-heritage Superocean lineup, drawing inspiration from a Breitling dive watch from the 1960s and 1970s called the Slow Motion. Every design element was developed for optimal diving visibility, from the contrasting minute ring to the chunky square-shaped hour markers and hands. Unique and somewhat quirky, the original Slow Motion was a cult favorite for many. It now lends its unique, purpose-driven aesthetic to the current lineup, which ranges from 36mm to a very robust 46mm.
The 36mm Breitling Superocean is currently available in a stunning array of design set options to appeal to many fashion-conscious women, from understated white dial models to vibrant tangerine dials and even one with rainbow luminescent hour markers. Each variation features 300 meters of water resistance, a unidirectional bezel, and the Breitling Caliber 17 automatic movement with a sufficient 38-hour power reserve.
Breitling Superocean 36 Specs
| Model: | Breitling Superocean 36 |
| References: | U17377211A1S1 (two-tone/rubber strap/white & rainbow dial) U173771A1A1S1 (two-tone/rubber strap/white dial) A17377211O1S1 (steel/rubber strap/tangerine dial) A17377211O1A1 (steel-on-steel/tangerine dial) A17377211A1S1 (steel/rubber strap/white dial) A17377211A1A1 (steel-on-steel/white dial) A17377211C1A1 (steel-on-steel/turquoise dial) A17377211C1S1 (steel/rubber strap/turquoise dial) |
| Case Material: | Stainless steel or stainless steel & 18k red gold |
| Case Diameter: | 36mm |
| Case Thickness: | 12.21mm |
| Water Resistance: | 300m |
| Bezel: | Uni-directional/60 minutes |
| Bezel Material: | Ceramic |
| Movement: | Caliber 17 (ETA 2824-2 base, Automatic, 8 beats per second) |
| Functions: | Hours, minutes, seconds |
| Power Reserve: | 38 hours |
| Braceler/Strap: | Rubber or metal |
| 2024 Market Price: | $7,300 (two-tone/rubber strap) $5,150 (steel/rubber strap) $5,350 (steel-on-steel) |
Best Women’s Dive Watch from Omega: Mid-Size Seamaster Diver 300M
1948 marked Omega’s 100th anniversary. It was also the same year one of the most recognizable dive watches in the world was released – the Seamaster. Although the original didn’t have a rotating timing bezel, the Seamaster collection has grown extensively since then. The Seamaster Diver 300M joined the lineup in 1993. Today, the Diver 300M collection features robust 44mm chronographs and standard 42mm or 43.5mm 3-hand watches. But it was once home to the fabled mid-size model, which Omega stopped producing in 2018 amidst a major overhaul of the collection. Measuring 36.25mm in diameter, ref. 212.30.36.20.01.002 falls within the sweet spot for many collectors with average to smaller-sized wrists without sacrificing that rugged reliability the Diver 300M has always been known for.
The contemporary ref. 212.30.36.20.01.002 is in the running for the best women’s dive watch (and maybe even the best unisex dive watch) in part because it sports a contemporary ceramic bezel, skeleton-style hands, and the co-axial Caliber 2500 automatic movement with a 48-hour power reserve. The 36.25mm model has been sorely missed among small-wristed collectors since bowing out of production in 2018, but you can still add one to your collection for around $3,000 pre-owned.
Omega Seamaster Mid-Size Specs:
| Model: | Seamaster Diver 300M |
| Reference: | 212.30.36.20.01.002 |
| Case Material: | Stainless steel |
| Case Diameter: | 36.25mm |
| Case Thickness: | 12.7mm |
| Water Resistance: | 300m |
| Bezel: | Uni-directional/60 minutes |
| Bezel Material: | Ceramic |
| Movement: | Co-Axial Calibre 2500 (Automatic, 7 beats per second) |
| Functions: | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Power Reserve: | 48 hours |
| Braceler/Strap: | Stainless steel |
| 2024 Market Price: | Approx. $3,000 |
Vintage Women’s Dive Watch: Blancpain Bathyscaphe 34mm
Blancpain released the Fifty Fathoms dive watch in 1953, followed a few years later by the Bathyscaphe in 1956. While the Fifty Fathoms was developed for professional divers and featured a very large-for-that-time 41mm case, the Bathyscaphe appealed to the general watch-collecting masses at 34mm in diameter. 34mm is now widely considered small for men but it’s perfect for the modern woman with an eye for vintage watches.
Blancpain produced many variations during its original 20-year production run (it would be revived in 2013 with a larger 43mm and later 38mm case), including an outstanding 1960s model known as the Blancpain Bathyscape MC 4. It was featured in a popular Blancpain blog sporting a bakelite bezel, domed Plexiglas crystal, and manual-wind caliber 1187.
Blancpain even branded some MC 4’s as Waltham watches! No matter the branding, it’s an exceptionally classy choice for a women’s dive watch. Compared to the current production lineup, these vintage models offer collectors a lot of value and look exceptional on smaller wrist sizes.
Vintage Blancpain Bathyscaphe MC 4 Specs
| Model: | Bathyscaphe MC 4 |
| Case Material: | Stainless steel |
| Case Diameter: | 34mm |
| Bezel: | Bidirectional/60 minutes |
| Bezel Material: | Bakelite |
| Movement: | Caliber 1187 (manual) |
| Functions: | Hours, minutes, seconds |
| 2024 Market Price: | Approx. $2,000 – $5,500 |
A Smaller Women’s Dive Watch: Rolex Yacht-Master 29
The Yacht-Master earns an honorable mention on our list because it wasn’t developed for diving, per se, but rather as a regatta timer, featuring 100 meters of water resistance and a bidirectional bezel for syncing with race start times. It doesn’t have the same level of water resistance as its similarly-styled cousin, the Rolex Submariner, but it delivers a similar aesthetic, and in a broader range of case sizes, too. In fact, it is the only model within the Rolex professional series ever made in a dedicated women’s size, namely 29mm. However, the lineup also includes mid-size options (35mm and later 37mm) if 29mm is too small for your wrist.
Rolex Yacht-Master 29 Specs
| Model: | Yacht-Master |
| References: | 69623 (steel/yellow gold) 169623 (steel/yellow gold) 169622 (steel/platinum) 169628 (yellow gold) |
| Case Material: | Yellow Rolesor, Rolesium, yellow gold |
| Case Diameter: | 29mm |
| Water Resistance: | 100m |
| Bezel: | Bidirectional/60 minutes |
| Bezel Material: | Gold or platinum |
| Movement: | Automatic |
| Functions: | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Bracelet/Strap: | Three-link Oyster |
| 2024 Market Price: | Approx. $5,100 – $13,400 |
Dive watches aren’t just for professionals or avid divers anymore. They’ve found a massive audience among the average collector who appreciates their durability and potential as a great all-rounder, or “GADA watch,” as it is often referred to. Moreover, smaller watches and mid-size divers are trending, as we’ve seen with the recent success of the Tudor Black Bay 54 mentioned previously in this guide. There has never been a better time to be a women’s dive watch enthusiast, and I hope this list gets you well on your way to picking the best model for your wrist.
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